The Notion of Fate
by Samisim
Summary: My take on how Sam & Jack cross paths after his move to Washington. I'm exceptionally proud of the 2nd part.


**Title:** The Notion of Fate

**Author:** Samisim

**Rating:** T - I think, possibly higher for adult situations.

**Status:** Complete (Possible Epilogue later)

**Category:** A little Romance/ Slight Humor/ SamJack always

**Spoilers:** Season 9 (My take on what should have happened.)

**Disclaimer:** Stargate belongs to the wonderful Powers that Be (that is not me). No profit has been made by this story, it's just for fun.

**Author's Note:** In the words of my husband 'where's the plot?' This is plot light. Jack is a General and is in Washington. Sam is at the SGC and they haven't spoken in about 4 months. Therefore, the whole relationship thing has not come up yet between them. Cassie is in College, I don't know if they actually ever said what school she was attending but I put her going to CSU. There may be a few discrepencies so bare with me. This is my first fic to post. I have no Beta so all mistakes are mine. Please let me know how I did. Also please give any suggestions on a possible next chapter.

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**Chapter 1**

Lt. Col. Samantha Carter paced her hotel room back and forth with her cell phone out- her thumb hovering over the 'send' button. She didn't know what to say to him and her stomach was tied in knots. She hadn't seen General Jack O'Neill since he transferred to Washington and that had been over four months now. Before he had left she had ended her relationship with Pete and had needed time to sort through everything that she was feeling. Telling him that it was over between she and Pete would have possibly opened the door for something between her and Jack, so she chose not to say anything. She didn't want any pressure of a relationship with him. Sam wanted to make fully sure that that was what she wanted, and she had to admit she was a little scared of confessing her feelings to him, the uncertainty that he felt the same weighed down on her.

Carter jumped as her phone rang shattering the silence in the quiet room.

It was him. She took in a breath allowing her self to calm down.

"Carter," she answered.

"Hey Sam, how've you been?"

'Sam?' "Good, Sir. It's been a while," she stated calmly.

General O'Neill chuckled lightly. "No kidding, too long. I've been meaning to touch base with you but ya' know those Washington types they always got you going to meetings about the _next _meeting and so on."

She paused before speaking. She couldn't for the life of her think of anything to say. So she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I was just calling you, Sir." 'Now you've done it, he's going to want to know why you idiot.' With her free hand she made a tight fist trying to release her nervous energy.

"Really?" He was curious now. Jack noted the awkward silence that followed. "So what's up?"

'Here we go.'

"I was just calling to talk about Cassie. She isn't adjusting very well to college life, she's missing Janet a whole lot, and I don't know what to say or do to help her." Her emotions were beginning to creep up on her as she finished.

His voice was caring, "Sam, just be yourself and be there for her, you don't have to say anything profound to pull her outta this. Your presence alone will help her cope."

" I know that, Sir…. it's just that- that seeing her and what she's going through…" she stopped herself before her voice could betray her, and more importantly before she said something she might regret saying later.

Jack noticed the catch in her voice and the obvious pain it was causing her to share how she was feeling with him. He needed to comfort her. Jack was almost certain that all she had been through in the last couple of years was finally catching up with her, her father dying, loosing Janet, Cassie moving away to go to college, and many other trials and tribulations to boot. 'How could I have left her knowing that she hadn't come to terms with all of this?' She hadn't come to him since years earlier when Daniel had died and ascended. She had tried to get him to talk about what they were going through then. He had shut her out and left her to deal with it alone. It was his way of dealing with loss and it had become hers. He felt he needed to comfort her and this was his chance to do it.

"Sam, where are you now?" She detected the urgency in his voice and immediately a pang of fear hit her.

"Fort Collins," she replied flatly.

"Where are you staying out there?"

She knew he wanted to see her now and she wasn't about to play the strong soldier and ward him off. She missed him immensely, and needed her own comfort. Sam knew that seeing Jack could be life changing, after all he was no longer in her direct chain of command. This was the opportunity that she had hoped for and feared since he took Hammond's place. Was she ready for it now?

His concern peaked. "Sam? Did you hear me?"

"Uh…. the Hampton Inn on Oakridge Dr. about two miles from CSU."

"Sit tight, I'll be there in 20."

"Sir?" she said surprised.

The line disconnected.

'What just happened?' Her mind was racing and she started to fidget with her cell phone turning it end over end in her hands. She was about to see Jack and she wasn't prepared. Carter backed up until she felt the bed against her legs and plopped down rather ungracefully. She exhaled loudly.

20 minutes and some odd seconds later there was a knock at the door. Sam looked at her watch. He was a man of his word. She moved to the door as she straightened her white button-up shirt. She breathed in and opened the door taking in his appearance, dress blues…. 'Very nice.' She smiled welcoming him.

He grinned broadly at her. "Door to door service, one on the perks of being a General."

Sam looked at him questioningly. 'Was he actually beamed here?'

"Not Prometheus, Sir?" She stepped out of the doorway allowing him to enter her hotel room.

"What?" Realization dawned. "No, I hitched a ride on a jet."

"I didn't know you were back in Colorado," she pried.

"Yeah, I got in a couple days ago- takin' a little breather from the stuffed shirts." He smiled his O'Neill smile.

"It's really good to see you, Sir." Sam was smiling, but her pleading eyes betrayed her and she looked down. Jack closed the door behind him and neared her.

"C'mere," he embraced her and she relaxed against him hugging him back. "God, I missed you," he admitted to her.

It was one of the longest periods they had gone without hearing from one another. Neither willing to be the one to take the first step, until Sam just couldn't go on any longer. And him? She didn't know what could have driven him to call out of the blue months later. She chalked it up to him needing time to settle into his new job, or maybe he had found someone since he probably figured she was still with Pete.

Tears began to trace their way down her face and she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"Sam," he whispered as he stroked her back and then finally moved to caress her hair. They held each other for several minutes.

She slowly pulled away. He then kissed her forehead. Sam's tears had stopped and were replaced by something else. His closeness was beginning to affect her on several levels. Jack put his head to hers holding her face. Sam's breath caught.

"I missed you too." No 'Sir' attached. Sam wiped her face dry of moisture. "I'm sorry." She smiled wanly at him.

"Hey, there's no reason," he said sweetly. " I told you months ago that I'd always be here for you. I know you're tough. You don't have'ta put up a façade around me, Sam."

She nodded. "I actually have been meaning to tell you something for a while now, but I never got the chance." 'There I go diving in straight to the point.' She looked away from his eyes.

His brow furrowed with concerned again.

She wouldn't look at him as she spoke. "We broke up." 'There. That was painfully quick, like a band-aid being ripped off.'

It dawned on him. 'She and Petey-boy are over.' "Oh, Sam I'm sorry." He grabbed her hand and began lightly caressing the top with his thumb. She didn't react to his touch by pulling away, but by training her eyes to the floor.

'Daniel and Teal'C hadn't told him?' That surprised her.

"Its nothing like that," she shook her head. "I broke off the engagement." She started to laugh nervously.

"Oh?" She could tell the poor man was dumbfounded by this.

She finally explained to him further. "I couldn't marry someone that I didn't love," she looked up and met his eyes, "completely." She paused again. "Pete deserves more than that."

Jack interjected, "so do you." He was so endearing.

"I know that _now_ more than ever." At some point he had found her other hand and was grasping it as well.

He knew what she was implying. He grinned devilishly at her and pulled her closer to him. Jack placed his right hand on her face cupping it. Sam leaned into his touch allowing the contact to affect her. Neither one could admit what they were feeling out loud. Jack was still trying to let her implication settle in.

"What's next?" He whispered.

Sam searched his eyes and saw nothing but love staring back at her. Sam moved in quickly and kissed the man before her passionately and fully and he returned it in kind, deepening the kiss even more. She moaned into his mouth barley containing her self. They both reached for each other caressing. Jack laid Sam on the bed and broke the kiss, momentarily hovering over her as he paused to make sure. "Are you-"

She nodded before he could finish and pulled him back down.

Jack recaptured her mouth.

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A/N: Sorry if this seems to be a rushed love scene but come on, he didn't know that she was available so their making up for lost time.

**Chapter 2**

"Sam?" Daniel peered into her lab.

Sam blushed at her memory and cleared her throat. "What's up, Daniel?"

"Wanna get a bite?"

"Sure." She jumped off her stool and followed her dear friend to the commissary, all the while grinning at the mere thought of Jack.

Daniel saw her grin and hid his own. Something had his friend wound up.

As the pair was getting their food he couldn't help but ask. "So, how's Jack?"

She was unreadable. "I wouldn't know," she stated nonchalantly never diverting from the dessert options.

"Right." Daniel pursed his lips and nodded in disbelief.

"Really, Daniel…." She looked around cautiously. "…I wouldn't know. You probably talk to him more than me anyhow." She turned with her loaded food tray and walked to their table. He stood there starring at her retreating form momentarily.

"Ah ha!" He said as he caught up behind her, as she was sitting down. "So then _you_ admit to talking to him!"

Sam snapped her head up to look at him, warning him to drop it.

He followed suit and sat across from her. "Sam," he began calmly. "I'm your friend." He reached for her arm across the table. "Why do we have secrets?" He was mockingly innocent.

She looked annoyed at this. "There's nothing to tell," she spit. She looked down at her food and began prodding it. He retracted his hand and dug into his brown colored slop before him.

Sam wondered what this man knew. Had Jack hinted that there was something going on between them or was Daniel intuitive enough to pick up on her elation? She must have been glowing or something. Sam touched her face self-consciously.

"Sam?" He looked curious.

"What?" She tensed putting her hand back in her lap.

"Nothing."

Silence ensued.

Sam nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt her phone vibrate in her BDU pants pocket. She quickly retrieved it and blushed after reading the caller-id. Daniel could tell she was debating whether or not to answer. She reluctantly opened her phone and placed it to her ear.

"Carter."

"Hey, Sam. Did you answer your phone like that out of habit or is someone there with you?" Jack teased.

"Yes." She simply remarked trying not to alert her lunch companion.

Daniel eyeballed her and she reverted to stare blankly at her food while listening to the caller.

"Is it Spacemonkey?"

"Of course I can," she replied a little too loudly.

"Really?" She could almost hear him smile through the phone mischievously.

She didn't answer.

"Sam, I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful time I had this weekend."

'No he wasn't going there!'

He continued on, "I can't believe that we've neglected ourselves for so long. Just thinking about it makes me…. well, you know." He whispered the last part huskily. Jack could clearly imagine her squirming in her seat.

Daniel saw her redden.

She cleared her throat. " I know what you mean." She shifted uncomfortably.

"What'cha wearing?" He dared.

"Jaaagh!" She discretely looked to Daniel to see if he picked up on what she almost said. He was chewing his food as though he was really savoring the taste of the bland commissary cuisine.

"BDU's huh?"

Silence.

"It's not that black tank-top number is it?"

She finally spoke. "Well, we'll just have to see later."

"How's three days from now?"

"Really? That soon?" She tried to hide her childish glee from the two men.

"Uh huh, an early weekend if you will."

"That sounds good."

"Great, I'll call you when I get in town."

"All right." She smiled.

"Oh, and Sam…." he paused. "I love you."

She felt her heart flip flop. She couldn't do what she had done to Pete and just say 'me too'. This was Jack O'Neill, the man she loved. She owed him that much.

"I love you too…. Cassie." Sam closed her phone before she could hear any protest from Jack.

Daniel faked disappointment, "if I would have know you were talking to Cassie I would have wanted to say 'hi' to her." He looked to Sam's cell phone that was still in her hand and reached for it. "Let me call her back," he actually sounded somewhat innocent.

Sam kept holding the phone with Daniel's hand over hers. They glared at each other neither one backing down until Sam heard the chatter of the crowded commissary quiet down. She felt like all eyes were on them. She relented and let him have the damn phone. It was better for Daniel to know about Jack then for the base's grapevine to think that she and Daniel was an item.

She slumped back in her chair crossing her arms on her chest childishly. 'Why is he so damned determined to know?'

Apparently he went to the 'recent calls' list because he just sat there starring like an idiot. "Cassie's got Jack's phone when he's all the way in Washington?"

"Are you happy now?" She didn't sound mad, just defeated.

He instantly felt guilty for prying and set the phone in front of her. "I'm glad for you two," he said genuinely.

She let down her last bit of defenses and leaned forward. "Thank you," she all but breathed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it's just that this weekend was the first time I've seen or talked to him," she admitted.

"So this is _new_?" He realized.

She nodded.

He laughed and again found his food interesting.

She was beaming. "What?"

"I just thought that you guys would have jumped to it months ago when he first left."

"I suppose what's a few months compared to 8 years," she added.

"True, true. I knew you two would come around."

"There's just one thing I don't get," she leaned forward again. "Why is it you didn't tell Jack that I had broken my engagement with Pete."

"I knew you two would come around," he repeated.

She was not satisfied with that answer. Intervening was what Daniel did. Why hadn't he done what Daniel does best? Or…. did he know something that…. she didn't?

"You knew. As in…._ you knew_ from like when you were ascended?" She was beginning to sound like Jack.

"Something like that," he paused. "Therefore," he waved a piece of bread at her, "no help needed." He stuffed his face with the bread.

"Huh." She sat back hard against her chair. She was trying to get her mind around the notion of fate.

Daniel grinned around his full mouth.

The End


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